1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to computers, and more specifically, the invention relates to a computer interface which utilizes a motion sensor that senses that the user is in the immediate vicinity of the computer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Computer security is of great concern to businesses which are increasingly relying on the efficiency of computers to operate the businesses. On the other hand, competitors, disgruntled employees, computer hackers and others are a constant threat to the security of the computer's data base.
Several prior art devices have attempted to solve this security problem. U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,961 to Elwell discloses a ceiling sensor to interface with the computerized controllers of energy management systems. This ceiling is operable to detect motion through the use of a transmitted signal of predetermined frequency, which when received, has experienced a Doppler shift. Comparison of the received signal with its frequency change to the transmitted signal produces motion detection which when incorporated with an isolated latching relay enables the switching on and off of light, heating, air conditioning or security interfaces. A method of fabricating a ceiling sensor for a computer controller interface is also described.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,635,905 to Blackburn et al discloses a system for detecting the presence of a human who may be observing an artifact which is within his or her line of sight or field of view. The system includes a laser with a lens at the output and which is triggered rapidly in order to produce a pulsed beam having divergent rays of visible or invisible infrared light which irradiates an are to be examined for the presence of an observer. The light reflected from individuals and objects in the area is reflected into a pair of vision devices or pair of vision assemblies the output of which are fed into a computer. The computer has software programs which utilize vision device output data to the intensity and location of the light pixels in the image thereof to detect the presence and orientation of the eyes of an individual in the area based on the light pixel intensity and location data.
The above patents are the closest prior art found that showed motion detectors related to computer operation.